The invention relates generally to the field of photography, and in particular to attachable flash apparatus useful with one-time-use cameras.
One-time-use cameras are rapidly gaining in popularity due to in large part to their convenience and low cost relative to user-reloadable cameras. Many of such cameras include a built-in flash device to enable indoor picture taking. For cost reasons, such flash devices are typically fixed in place and, because of the small size of the cameras, are necessarily located close to the optical axis of the taking lens. As a result, the phenomenon known as xe2x80x9cred-eyexe2x80x9d becomes a problem. Red-eye occurs when flash light is reflected by a subject""s retina through the taking lens onto the exposed image frame. Numerous techniques are known for reducing the red-eye effect. One of such techniques involves the use of a pop-up flash device that moves the flash emitter away from the optical axis of the taking lens. Such a built-in, pop-up arrangement, while effective, is costly to implement and would not be suitable for one-time-use cameras where cost must be kept at a minimum.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,611 discloses a user-reloadable camera with a retractable built-in flash and provision for attachment of an external flash. When the external flash is mounted on the camera, the retractable flash which is close to the optical axis of the taking lens is retracted into the camera and does not fire. Thus, the external flash unit and built-in flash unit do not fire simultaneously. Since the spaced, externally mounted flash is the sole source of flash emission, the red-eye effect is effectively eliminated. However, the disclosed arrangement involves the use of a retractable built-in flash with provision on the flash to electrically disable the built-in flash. Such an arrangement is costly to implement and would not be suitable for low cost one-time-use cameras.
There is therefore a need for a one-time-use camera system with an externally mountable flash unit that moves the point of direct subject flash emission away from the optical axis of the camera taking lens so as to eliminate or substantially reduce the red-eye effect without significantly adding to the cost of the camera itself.
In accordance with the invention, therefore, there is provided a one-time-use camera and detachable flash system which comprises a one-time-use camera having a taking lens, a fixed, built-in flash unit with a flash emission device and a first mounting structure accessible on an outer surface of the camera; and an external flash unit having a second flash emission device and a second mounting structure thereon configured to mate with the first mounting structure on the camera permitting the external flash unit to be detachably mounted on the camera with the second flash emission device spaced farther away from said taking lens than said first flash emission device, the external flash unit having a portion thereof which, when mounted on the camera, physically blocks direct illumination by flash light actually emitted from the camera built-in flash unit of a subject being photographed; whereby red eye effect on photographed subjects is substantially eliminated.
These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings.